Rodriguez heads EPT Madrid final table

Saturday, 17 March 2012

The final table has been set at PokerStarsEPT Madrid with the unlikely figure of Spanish welder Ricardo Ibanez Rodriguez leading the way. The 34-year-old will start the final day with a stack of 3,216,00, around 700,000 ahead of closest rival, Scotland's Fraser Macintyre who has 2,473,000.

The final table will be a truly international affair with players from seven countries represented. Danish pro Frederick Jensen returns in third place followed by Romanian Andrei Stoenescu, Israeli Ilan Boujenah and French rapper turned very handy poker player Bruno 'Kool Shen' Lopes. Canadian online qualifier Jason Duval is next with London-based French professional Nicolas Levi rounding out the final table.

Mike 'Timex' McDonald, looking to become the first double EPT winner, was the unfortunate bubble boy, losing a flip with pockets tens against Stoenescu's Ace King.

The eight survivors are guaranteed at least €48,000 with the winner walking away with €545,000. The action resumes at 11am UK time on Saturday. Follow the action as it happens courtesy of a live stream at PokerStars.tv.

Tuesday is the deadline for all working Americans to have submitted their income tax returns to the federal government and Juicy Stakes and Intertops Poker are set to mark this annual occasion by holding a special freeroll competition featuring a $1,000 top prize.

“We run a lot of higher stakes tournaments for our more hard-core players,” said Intertops’ poker manager. “But since our network is generally pretty soft, we created this series to give less competitive players a shot at winning.”